Chicago-based food maker Conagra replaces CEO Sean Connolly

A new CEO is set to take over Chicago-based packaged food company Conagra Brands.

John Brase, who previously served as president and chief operating officer of J.M. Smucker Co., will succeed Sean Connolly as CEO on June 1 and join its board, the company announced Monday. Connolly's last day at Conagra and on the board will be May 31.

Brase joins the company at a time when many consumers are turning away from processed foods and looking for healthier offerings.

"I've long admired what Sean and the team have built, and I look forward to accelerating the company's track record of driving strong revenue growth, strengthening margins and generating robust cash flow to unlock the full potential of its brands and deliver meaningful value for consumers and shareholders,” Brase said in a news release.

Prior to J.M. Smucker, Brase spent 30 years at Procter & Gamble.

“John's track record of driving top- and bottom-line performance, building brands across multiple consumer-packaged goods categories, leveraging advantaged business systems and leading inclusive, results-driven cultures is exceptional, and we are confident Conagra will thrive under his leadership," Richard Lenny, independent chair of Conagra's board of directors, said in a news release. "The decision to appoint John as Conagra's next leader follows our thoughtful approach to succession planning, including discussions with Sean, and our determination that now is the right time for this leadership transition."

Connolly has led Conagra through a period of change, since he took over 11 years ago. The company has sold off some of its most iconic but slower growing brands, like Chef Boyardee in 2025.

He shifted the Slim Jim-maker away from canned foods and toward frozen foods, with brands such as Healthy Choice and Birds Eye. Conagra's frozen food category now accounts for over a third of sales, and snack brands, including Angie’s Boomchickapop and Orville Redenbacher's, represent a quarter of sales.

Morningstar analyst Kristoffer Inton said in a research note Monday that Conagra remains a small player in the snack foods industry and has tough private label competition in the frozen foods category. The company's stock price has declined by 61% over the last five years, Inton said.

For the fiscal year 2025, the company reported net sales of nearly $12 billion.